Retaliation
by alynwa
Summary: Originally written for Picfic Tuesday on LJ, this is a continuation of last week's story. THRUSH decides on damage control.


Dragica "Dragi" Kosovo, the current Chair of THRUSH's Central Committee, was looking around the table at her fellow committee members. Unlike UNCLE, THRUSH had long used female agents in their quest to subjugate humankind, but she was the first to sit as its head. For her entire career in The Game, she had to be twice as ruthless to get half as far. When her name came up for Chair consideration, the three committee members who questioned her ability mysteriously disappeared one after the other. After that, no one doubted her and she was appointed unanimously.

The Central Committee never met in the same place twice for security purposes. Right now, they sat in an underground bunker THRUSH had built underneath an abandoned church and cemetery in the middle of nowhere somewhere in the Irish countryside.

She had called an emergency meeting in the wake of two defections that had occurred within the last two weeks. Those traitors had not only wreaked havoc with THRUSH finances, but had compromised year long operations that had placed THRUSH agents and sympathizers in high level government positions in several European, South American and African countries. Right now, she was glaring at Cosmo Lawrence, Number One THRUSH in Europe whose bad luck it was to have both defectors come from his command. "Why is it," Dragi purred dangerously, "that our minions in your office were able to get their hands on such sensitive information?"

Cosmo swallowed audibly; everyone knew that the quieter Dragi became, the angrier she was. "Chairwoman Kosovo," he began, "my people were obedient drones until Agent Winters transferred in from the New York office. _He_ informed some of my staff about our 'retirement plan!' I was able to implement brainwashing quickly enough to stop the spread of the news, but Sukharov and O'Shea were in the field and I assume they heard about it while out of the office."

"As for how they were able to have access to the information, I remind the Chairwoman respectfully that Sukharov worked in Finance and O'Shea was the contact person for all of our government infiltrators."

Dragi sat quietly processing what she had been told. She was a bloodthirsty leader, but not an unreasonable one. "So. It would appear that our defectors may have come from the European Command, but the information that made them bolt came from the American Command, specifically the main New York Satrap." Now her eyes focused on Sidney Toles, her Number One in North America.

He threw a look at his European counterpart that said _I will get you for throwing me under the bus! _before replying, "It is true, Chairwoman Kosovo, that word of our exploding gold watch did get out from my office, but I ask for the chance to make this right. I will make it my personal mission to kill the defectors."

Dragi put her glasses on and wrote some notes on a pad as the two men squirmed in their seats. Number Ones South America, Asia and Africa sat silently; each wondering how they could turn their compatriots' predicament to their advantage. After what seemed to Toles and Lawrence an interminably long interlude, she sat back, removed her glasses and said, "You will _both _make it your personal mission to kill the defectors. You will have plenty of free time now that neither one of you is Number One." She watched in satisfaction as both men paled in shock and more than a little fear. "I have spared your lives for now. Fail me and the next time you see this cemetery you will be buried in it. Kill O'Shea and Sukharov and we can speak about your futures. Any questions?"

"No, Chairwoman Kosovo!" they answered in unison.

"Good. You have two weeks to accomplish your mission. And, just in case either of you think you can just disappear…" She signaled her assistants who moved to stand next to each man. "Roll up your left sleeves, Gentlemen."

They gasped as each assistant pulled large needles from a pouch and stuck it into their arms. "Ow! What is this?" Cosmo yelped as he rubbed his arm.

"It's a tracking device," Sidney announced. "I've used them." He looked at his leader. "I assume this will explode if tampered with?"

"You are correct in your assumption, Sidney. Now, both of you get out of my sight. The rest of the Committee and I need to figure out how to deal with the mess your incompetence caused. Report your progress in one week."


End file.
